I have to hand it to Atlus. Just when you think they’re ready to move on, they find a way to surprise us. After they announced the Persona 4 anime, and fighting game, I seriously thought that would be the last we saw of the series. It wasn’t long before they announced a port of the original for Sony’s Playstation Vita, which will launch stateside next year. Now, they’re even discussing plans for a stage adaptation of the game to debut next March. The show’s being produced by Marvelous AQL, who some of you might recognize from games like Harvest Moon, and Rune Factory. They also happen to be involved in musical theater, television series, and other forms of media, so they’ve had experience with this sort of thing in the past. In fact, they recently produced a popular musical based on the anime Prince of Tennis.
Last month Atlus had surprise hit on their hands when Catherine set a company record by selling over 200,000 copies within the first week. Personally, I found the game to be both entertaining and insightful despite relying on its sexy visuals to market itself. The script is often hilarious and the voice acting has that Atlus-polish we’ve become so accustomed to. Between the increasingly complex puzzles and “choose your own adventure”-esque interludes, I felt it offered a bit more than just lip-service. Puzzles and sex aside though, the game just wouldn’t be the same without some alcohol in the mix. Recently, a Cathrine-themed bar opened in Japan offering cocktails inspired by the characters you encounter throughout the game. While they didn’t offer the exact measurements, you can try to concoct some of these delicious drinks on your own with the ingredients listed below. Frankly, I can’t wait to try some myself, but something tells me they’ll be difficult to perfect. Anyone brave enough to try?
We can’t really call it a trailer, but this video’s the latest in a series of teasers for the upcoming Persona 4 anime. Fans of the series have been freaking out since plans for an anime adatption were recently announced, and I really can’t blame them. So far, it’s looking pretty fantastic. Unlike the Persona: Trinity Soul anime which was loosely based on the world of Persona 3, this one will feature the main characters from the fourth installment of the series. It’s probably safe to assume that it’ll follow the plot of Persona 4, so those of us who haven’t already played it may be in luck. If not, you’ll have a nice excuse to pick up a copy. The series is set to air later this fall.Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Feb 17, 2011 in Videogames
Xbox 360 owners are in for a bit of treat when they pre-order Larin Studios’ upcoming expansion for their hit RPG Divinity II, entitled The Dragon Knight Saga. Those of you who were unfortunate enough to own the previous title for your console may be happy to know that this upcoming release will feature a remastered version, complete with new content, an improved engine and support for the Flames of Vengeance add-on. On top of that, Atlus, the game’s North American publisher has decided to sell it for the low price of $39.99, and those of you who pre-order will recieve an art book and soundtrack to boot.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 31, 2010 in Videogames
Many fans seem to be in a slight panic ever since it was recently announced that Index Holdings would be merging their Atlus and Index subsidiaries in the coming months in an effort to restructure their resource management and system of business. However, it’s highly unlikely that Atlus, as a brand, will be affected by the decision. This move came weeks after the official announcement of their upcoming title Catherine, which is being head up by the team responsible for the popular Persona series. So far the game seems to be garnering quite a bit of attention in the press for its erotic, adult-oriented themes and visceral, cell-shaded graphics. Personally, I can’t wait to see how the game shapes up — you can see the translated trailer above.
